Green Collar Jobs

University of Rochester's Recycling Coordinator, Amy Kadrie

In the current economy, people are still struggling to find jobs. It can be frustrating to continually search for openings, but there may be a green light at the end of the tunnel. A study conducted by Pew Charitable Trusts showed that jobs focused on sustainability increased by 9.1%, between 1998 and 2007, compared to the 3.7% increase of jobs in other areas. If you are passionate about sustainability, you could fill one of these new green jobs.

As people’s concern about the environment increases, their desire to see companies show the same concern also increases. This means companies want to hire people who understand the importance of sustainability, and how to make it work for their specific companies. These organizations recognize the environmental and financial benefits of making their operations or products greener, and know they need to fill their company with people who can make these new goals possible. 

The potential growth in Green Jobs is significant in that it could be the fastest growing segment of the United States economy over the next several decades and dramatically increase its share of total employment including solar panel installers, software engineers, chief sustainability officers, and jobs in hazardous materials management.

In order to give their students an edge in filling these green jobs, some schools have started offering classes, and even full undergraduate and graduate degrees, focusing on sustainability. Some of these programs target the technical aspects of sustainability, while others are meant to compliment another discipline, such as a business degree with an emphasis on sustainability. No matter where your interests lie, it may be environmentally smart, as well as smart for your career, to add sustainability courses into your studies .

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